Remembering and Gathering
From Pastor Robert
Have you noticed how easy it is to drive on Sunday mornings in Austin? There's almost no traffic…unless there's a music festival or an auto race in town. Going out on Sunday morning feels counter-cultural here. But driving to High Pointe on Sunday morning, at least, is easy.
On Sunday, we considered our duty to remind one another of gospel truths and to grow in the qualities Peter lists in 2 Peter 1:5–8. I suggested that a local church functions as the corporate memory or extended brain for its members. We gather to be reminded and to remind one another: as we sing, pray, read and hear Scripture explained, give generously, come to the Lord's Table, and linger to talk after the service ends.
We gather to worship the Triune God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and to serve one another by stirring one another up, reminding each other of the living hope we have in Jesus.
We don't get up on Sunday mornings chasing another experience or trying to serve ourselves. We gather week after week to worship God, to remind others, and to be reminded by others that God is real, that he has spoken clearly in the Bible, that he has revealed himself in Jesus Christ, and that he means what he says and will do all he has promised.
If we at High Pointe are going to live as citizens of Jesus' kingdom in this cultural moment, we need counter-habits that push against our natural instincts. So far, we've considered four:
Being willing to talk about awkward subjects.
Being intentional about encouraging others.
Beginning our day with prayer and Scripture.
Practicing gratitude instead of entitlement.
Today, we add a fifth: driving down empty highways to gather with God's people is a weekly reminder that we belong to King Jesus and seek to live with him at the center of our lives. In Austin, that's a genuinely counter-cultural act, at least for now.
Here are two simple ways to practice this habit:
Thank God for no traffic on Sunday mornings!
Remember that you need the reminder that weekly gathered worship brings.
Remember that others need you to remind them starting with the first people you'll see this Sunday morning at High Pointe.
Resources
Opportunities to Serve
(For Opportunities to Serve at High Pointe, click HERE)
God has blessed each of us with unique gifts and talents, and at High Pointe, we believe serving is how we use those gifts to bless others and advance His kingdom.
Whether you have 30 minutes a week or several hours, there's a place for you to serve in our children's ministry, as greeters, with the hospitality team, media/tech support, building and grounds, safety, community outreach efforts, and through administrative support. Reach out to find out more today: info@highpointeaustin.org
Volunteering in the Children’s Ministry | Current Openings
*Sunday morning nursery, serving once every 5 Sundays, has two openings in the Toddler Room, two openings in the Pre-K class, and 4 openings in the baby room.
*KidsPointe, serving one Sunday per month, has two openings for small group helpers.
Volunteering in the children’s ministry is a great way to know others at High Pointe and to serve parents. Reach out the Erin Wyman for specific details and to get started on our child protecting screening steps.
Life at High Pointe
Want to know what’s happening at High Pointe?Check out our weekly announcements and upcoming events to stay informed and connected with the life of our church!
Sunday AM Preaching Schedule: Pray regularly for the ministry of the Word at High Pointe. Also, prepare for our gatherings by reading the sermon text, thinking it through, and asking questions about the text before Sunday. Here is our (tentative) preaching schedule designed to help you prepare for Sundays:
August 23 | 2 Peter 1:16-21 | What Peter Wanted Us to Know | Pastor Robert Cline
August 30 | Luke 18:18-30 | What Must I Do to Inherit Eternal Life? | Pastor Juan Sanchez
September 6 | Luke 18:31-43 | The Joy of Spiritual Sight | Pastor Juan Sanchez
September 13 | Luke 19:1-10 | Salvation and the Fruits of Repentance | Pastor Juan Sanchez
September 20 | 2 Peter 2:1-10 | Don’t Be Deceived by False Teachers | Pastor Robert Cline
Begin praying as you prepare to join us this Sunday at 10:00 a.m.
Gospel Partner of the Month: 9Marks exists to help pastors, future pastors, and church members build healthy churches. To this end, 9Marks creates resources like books, podcasts, a quarterly journal, web courses, and more. They also host training events around the world. Their focus in everything is on nine marks of a healthy church—expositional preaching, gospel doctrine, conversion and evangelism, church membership, church discipline, discipleship and growth, church leadership, prayer, and missions. Why these nine? Because the Bible requires them, and, sadly, too many evangelical churches have neglected or assumed them.
On-Call Pastor To better care for you, High Pointe, we have an “on-call” pastor available for emergencies after office hours. To reach the on-call pastor, call 512-837-7725, extension 1.
